• Belgium reviews use of smartphones by military because of Russian espionage

    Belgium has restricted the use of smartphones in the army because of treat of espionage from the Russian Federation, reported by the Belgian news agency Belga.

    “We know that Russia is interested in obtaining mobile geolocation data. We are making efforts to prevent such activity and have been actively conducting explanatory work among the personnel for several years. But this does not seem enough yet,” said Colonel Carl Gillis, head of operations for the Belgian armed forces Chief of Staff. …

  • Head of Crimea wants to send seized Ukrainian oil rigs to Syria

    In an interview with Radio Krym (Crimea), Russian head of Crimea Sergei Aksenov said that he is considering the possibility of sending to Syria the Chornomornaftogaz drilling rigs which were captured during the annexation of Crimea.

    “Today’s economy presupposes that if there are proposals from major players, who have certain resource capabilities, that would allow us to increase the number of facilities where we can produce oil and gas, then, of course, there is a possibility of public-private …

  • Britain denies that expelled Russian diplomats would be allowed to return

    British representatives refuted the statement made by the Russian Ambassador in London, Alexander Yakovenko, that allegedly the two countries agreed to gradually restore dozens of diplomats to their positions, expelled by both sides after the poisoning of Sergei and Yulia Skripal in Salisbury. 

    “No new agreements have been made. Our position regarding Russian diplomatic presence in the UK has not changed after measures were taken after Salisbury. Work of our respective missions occurs in the …

  • European Commission: construction of Nord Stream 2 pipeline is hard to stop

    US President Donald Trump’s criticism of the construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline is not a reason to stop the project, stated European Commissioner for Budget and Human Resources Günther Oettinger on December 28. He said that any attempts to prevent the construction will encounter serious opposition as the construction is already underway. 

    Trump criticized Berlin for supporting the $11 billion gas pipeline. In July, he accused Germany of being Moscow's “hostage” because of the …

  • Poroshenko signs law expanding Ukraine’s zone of control in Black Sea

    Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has signed the law “On Ukraine’s surrounding zone,” which doubles the country’s zone of control in the Black Sea, the presidential press service reported.

    The law harmonizes Ukraine’s maritime legislation with that of other states on the Black Sea and other signatories of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea of 1982. It is intended to prevent smuggling operations and illegal visitation of the closed ports in the temporarily occupied territories of …